Unos Momentos Pequenos

So I don't have a lot to write about, just a few small moments that made the week great. :) We got out of class early on Tuesday...which usually isn't a big deal, but I still haven't gotten used to this schedule (pathetic, I know) so getting out early means being able to actually cook...since we have been eating out more than we would like...which means eating A)healthier and B) at home on the couch in front of the tv. This also meant that we got to nap...for all the times that I never slept in Kindergarten when we had time designated during school for napping, I am definitely doing it now. This made the day so much nicer.

Wednesday morning, after a conference with my teacher about a few things, we found out that we would be judging the school's science fair. I remember my dad helping me build crazy contraptions and cutting out cardboard pieces for me to put my presentations on. This brought back a lot of memories and I felt really official being able to judge these kids and get to know why they chose to do these particular projects. Some kids were super shy and it was hard to get them to say a lot, which unfortunately affected how I judged their entry. With others, it was amazing to see their true curiosity for what they worked on and their pride in explaining to me their scientific method. These kids are so bright and I loved hearing them talk with such happiness and excitement! Another thing that happened that morning was the need for my Spanish speaking. Some of the kids at this school barely know English and I was getting asked to judge those that could only speak Spanish. This happens every now and then but at the moment I felt so blessed to have the ability to communicate in more than one language. Spanish is such a dominant language in this area, that I really need to thank my parents more for teaching me.

This morning, we were working on literacy centers and I was in charge of a writing center where the students were working on writing objects that started with the letter A. There were 6 objects, one of them being a bee (Abeja in Spanish). I was emphasizing each syllable and we came to the "ja" of Abeja and each student was spelling it with an H (which is the correct sound in English, but in Spanish the H sound is made with a J. After seeing so many students use this spelling, a new student came to my center. He is really bright, but is a little behind what the other students already know. I continued to help him spell his words and we came to this same word. I made the H sound and he looks at me and says "J." I got so excited for such a small event, but it was a good moment for me getting to see that at least one student, that for now is used to getting the answer last, knew the answer far before anyone else. I got super excited, which made him really happy as well. I couldn't ask for a better learning/teaching moment for the week than that.

God is really blessing me lately, and although these may be insignificant to some, they really made my week so much better :)

love

I have always really loved Valentine's Day, but for obvious reasons have really loved these past 3 the most. :) I grew up getting excited about Valentine's Day festivities in school--I would always beg my parents to buy my class valentines before the store "ran out of the cool ones" and would go above and beyond to make my card basket the best and most beautiful. Although this probably annoyed everyone else in my classes, this was just my Type A, perfectionist coming through even at a young age. I would love baking heart-shaped cookies or making rice krispy treats with red sugar sprinkles in preparation for our party. (back then, it was actually a Valentine's party and not a "love fest") HA. High School...well the cuteness of the holiday ran out but it was still fun for me despite being single, which really made my day better-I was perfectly happy with flowers from Mom and Dad :)

For the past 3 Valentine's Days, I have really gotten to experience the kind of love from a guy that God has for us. Although we just go to dinner and spend time together, Steven goes above and beyond (without being corny) to make my day great, and our Vday requires no gifts or actual valentines. God goes above and beyond to make our lives in his image. He blesses us every single day. I truly have been blessed to have a husband that loves me just as Christ loves his church. So, as much as I love "love" themed things and probably always will get excited about "Love Fest" parties at school, I do realize that love extends way beyond one set out calendar day and beyond the largest love that we can imagine and I am so excited I am a part of it!

ramblings of a newlywed on life lately...

Been a while and I should be writing a discussion post for class, but blogging is cooler. :) First off, I had to drop my first class ever last week. The Romantic Comedy class was a little too much to handle, so in order to be focused on my Methods block at least more for my first semester, Steven and I decided it would be better for me to drop the class, especially since it was already stressful after syllabus day, which is saying a lot. Aside from the minor setback...and an added summer course :-/ all is going SOOOO great!

Methods and being in a classroom 3 days a week is still a routine I am getting used to. My body is finally adjusting to waking up before 7 every morning, so that's good. Also, I am loving my classroom placement for the semester! I have an awesome cooperating teacher and I am in an all-Spanish Kindergarten class. The students and I are starting to become more acquainted, which makes learning so much simpler and makes me a little more "legit" when it comes to what I am teaching them. When I am there, the class is working on Readers and Writers Workshops, which include read-alouds, shared reading, etc. Students read and have literacy centers and they are so fun to be in charge of. Kindergarteners are SO bright and I am really blessed to watch them learn to read. :-D

In the near future, I will have to be teaching a Science lesson, later followed by a Literacy lesson in my classroom. After talking to our teacher, I will be asked to teach these in Spanish, which I won't lie...I'm pretty nervous about. One thing about this class is that they are, for the most part, dominant English speakers so I feel better about my Spanish speaking around them. Another plus is that my confidence in speaking Spanish has really gone up in only two weeks! Pray that both mine and Steven's lesson teaching go well!

Still golfing, improving and loving to learn and have a "married couple" hobby. Staying busy, loving life and learning to look at things from a child's perspective more and more. Going to LCU Master Follies probably for the last year to support the brothers and sisters of CD's and IK :) Pretty excited about the trip to LBK!

in the words of Kate Gosselin..."it's a crazy life, but it's our life!" We may not be so crazy, but for us there is a lot of change going on...sigue horando por nosotros :)